7 Russian Athletes Suspended for Doping

(AP) - The US men's and women's teams swept the 1600-meter relays today, ending a string of frustrations for the Americans that included dropped batons in two earlier races. For the women, Sanya Richards anchored her team in a come-from-behind victory over Russia in 3:18.54, the world's fastest time since 1993. On the men's side, Jeremy Wariner crossed the line 12 strides ahead of Christopher Brown of the Bahamas, finishing in 2:55.39 to break the Olympic record by 0.35 second. More»

Double amputee can compete in trials

(NEWSER) - Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee sprinter who wants the chance to compete in the Olympics on his carbon-fiber blades, has won his appeal. The Court of Arbitration for Sport revoked the IAAF's ban on the South African Paralympic champion, making Pistorius eligible to compete against able-bodied runners. The runner is eager to "pursue my dream of competing in the Olympic Games," AFP reports. More»

Katusha rider Alexandr Kolobnev expected to drop out of race, in 69th place

(AP) - Russian cyclist Alexandr Kolobnev became the first cyclist at this year's Tour de France to fail a doping test, the International Cycling Union said today. A urine sample collected from Kolobnev last Wednesday tested positive for a substance called Hydrochlorothiazide, which is a diuretic that can also be used as a masking agent that hides the presence of other drugs, the UCI said. It is the first positive case at this year's race, and happened on the Tour's fifth stage—a flat sprint stage from Carhaix to Cap Frehel. Kolobnev was in 69th place heading into tomorrow's 10th stage. More»

Pettigrew lost gold medal after doping scandal

(NEWSER) - Former world champion sprinter Antonio Pettigrew has been found dead in the backseat of his car in North Carolina. Pettigrew, 42, was part of the American 4x400-meter relay squad that won gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, only be be stripped of their medals after Pettigrew confessed to being part of a doping program. More»

South African teen missed 11 months while undergoing gender testing

(NEWSER) - Caster Semenya won the 800m at a minor meet tonight in Finland, her first competition since the IAAF cleared the South African teen to compete as a woman . Looking happy and relaxed, she comfortably dealt with a larger-than-usual crowd and massive media contingent, the Guardian reports . "I felt more and more comfortable as I started to do my thing," she said after running a relatively poky 2:04.22—nearly 10 seconds slower than the time that won the world championship a year ago. More»